Tips

Contestants may consider the following suggestions from past winners to help them prepare for the contest:

Prepared speech contest

• Spend ample time on researching the topic and writing the speech. Winners, on average, spend over 10 hours on preparing their script.
• Rehearse the entire speech at least five times, preferably to different groups of audience to gain feedback on the content, organization and delivery of the speech.
• Revise the speech based on the suggestions from the audience.
• Time each rehearsal to ensure that the speech can be delivered within the time limit of 7 minutes.
• Ensure that the materials of the speech can lead to a good demonstration of the contestant’s vocal variety and body language. Most winners in previous years spoke naturally with a conversational style and established a strong rapport with the audience.
• Ensure that the speech has a simple core message which is shared by the audience and presented in a light-hearted manner.

Unprepared speech contest

• Ensure that there is a beginning, body and ending part in the speech.
• Ensure that there is a single explicit core message in the speech, illustrated by examples or personal experience.
• Keep the speech short and precise within the time limit of 2 minutes.

Resources

The following materials are helpful to students interested in preparing for a speech contest.

From the HKUST Library

The HKUST English Speech Contest (available online)

• The HKUST 2006 English Public Speaking Contest (March 4)
• The English Public Speaking Contest 2007 (March 3)
• The 2008 English Public Speaking Contest (March 15)
• The 2008 HKUST English Public Speech Contest (October 18)
• The 2009 HKUST English Public Speech Contest (September 26)
• The 2010 HKUST English Public Speech Contest (September 25)

21st Century National English Speaking Competition (available on loan)

• 第十屆"21世纪・外教社杯"全国英语演讲比赛
  The Tenth "21st Century SFLEP Cup" National English Speaking Competition Finals
• 第十一屆"21世纪・澳门之星杯"全国英语演讲比赛
  The Eleventh "21st Century Macau Star Cup" National English Speaking Competition Finals
• 第十二屆"21世纪・联想杯"全国英语演讲比赛总决赛
  The Twelfth "21st Century Lenovo Cup" National English Speaking Competition Finals
• 第十三屆"21世纪・联想杯"全国英语演讲比赛总决赛
  The Thirteenth "21st Century Lenovo Cup" National English Speaking Competition Finals

Toastmasters International's World Champion of Public Speaking (available on loan)

• Magic Moments 1 and 2

From the Self-Access Centre

The HKUST English Speech Contest

• The HKUST 2006 English Public Speaking Contest (March 4)
• The English Public Speaking Contest 2007 (March 3)
• The 2008 English Public Speaking Contest (March 15)
• The 2008 HKUST English Public Speech Contest (October 18)
• The 2009 HKUST English Public Speech Contest (September 26)
• The 2010 HKUST English Public Speech Contest (September 25)

HKUST Toastmasters Club

• The HKUST chapter of Toastmasters International organizes regular meetings and in-house speech contests for students and staff to improve their presentation skills. Information about HKUST Toastmasters Club is available at http://ihome.ust.hk/~hkusttm/
• Information about Toastmasters in Hong Kong is available at http://www.hongkong-toastmasters.org/
• Information about Toastmasters International is available at http://www.toastmasters.org/
• Toastmasters International District 51 2001 International Speech Champion – Donald Yee
• Toastmasters International 2009 World Champion of Public Speaking – Mark Hunter
• Toastmasters International 2011 World Champion of Public Speaking – Jock Elliot

From the internet

• Six Minutes Speaking and Presentation Skills